A decade after “Wolf Hall” debuted on television to sensational reviews, creator (and recent Oscar-winner for “Conclave”) Peter Straughan has returned to PBS Masterpiece with a second season. “Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light” is adapted from the final book in Hilary Mantel’s “Wolf Hall” series. The original series focused on the first and second novels, “Wolf Hall” and “Bring Up the Bodies,” which chronicled King Henry VIII’s (Damian Lewis) break with the Catholic Church and his marriage to Anne Boleyn (a perfectly cast Claire Foy). It also showcased the rise of Thomas Cromwell (Mark Rylance), who would become the king’s chief adviser. “The Wolf and the Light,” named after the last novel in the trilogy, depicts Cromwell’s ascent to Lord Privy Seal and the final four years of his life. Beautifully acted and textured with the style and setting of 16th-century England, this season doesn’t quite have the same thrilling tones as its predecessor. Though there are stunning revelations, it’s a dense internal examination of a man who can feel his time running out.
“Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light” (which aired at the end of 2024 in the U.K.) begins in the aftermath of Anne Boleyn’s brief reign. As the emboldened queen is beheaded, King Henry is seen preparing to wed his third wife, the pious and soft-spoken Jane Seymour (Kate Phillips). However, all is not well in the kingdom. Uprisings are brewing amid the king’s split from the Pope, and the monarch has become increasingly volatile. Cromwell is left working overtime to solidify the line of succession, wade through the stunts pulled by the ambitious Pole family and broker two more marriages for the king. Though the statesman tries to stay one step ahead of the sovereign, the facade he’s so carefully crafted starts to crack.
While primarily measured in his actions, Cromwell is outwardly exhausted. He is haunted by visions and night terrors involving Anne and his late mentor, Cardinal Wolsey (Jonathan Pryce), who was executed by King Henry’s orders in the first season. He has attained status and riches, but Cromwell is constantly reminded that he is just the son of a blacksmith, merely a dog kept around to do the king’s bidding.
In Episode 2, “Obedience,” Cromwell visits Wosley’s illegitimate daughter, Dorothea (Hannah Khalique-Brown), to absolve himself of guilt. However, her icy reception shatters him, forcing him to reconcile his complicity with the king’s behavior and how far he’s strayed from his personal beliefs. Foy’s tantrums and antics as Anne Boylen are sorely missed, yet this era of the Tudor court is not without its drama. It just has a quieter, more sinister tone than before. Rylance carries a striking and beautiful complexity across the series. Viewers often linger with him as he searches his mind for hints and clues that have led him to this impossible impasse.
Still, even amid slower and meandering scenes, rehashings and even a few cast replacements (Charlie Row takes over for Tom Holland as Cromwell’s son, Gregory), “Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light” is seamless. Straughan reteamed with director Peter Kosminsky, who again helms all six episodes of the series. The setting, tone and narrative are so beautifully blended that it hardly seems plausible that ten years have stretched between the seasons. Flashbacks from “Wolf Hall” are sprinkled throughout the episodes as remembrances for the audience and Cromwell, who arrogantly assumes he’s mastered King Henry’s tempers and can remain in his favor.
Additionally, Rylance and Lewis’ performances are astounding. As the king becomes increasingly vexed with Cromwell, Rylance portrays a man realizing he can’t outrun his fate. Less affable than in the previous season, King Henry’s narcissism and inability to face his decline are placed front and center. Possessing a penchant for cruelty, Lewis depicts a man with a deep disdain for those he deems beneath him.
King Henry VIII’s reign is at least passively known to many. In turning the lens on Cromwell, whose role is much less conspicuous in history, Straughan offers a broader portrait of the world around King Henry, one that lived, thrived and perished by his orders. People were praised and elevated in one moment and callously snuffed out in the next. After all, men can be kingmakers, but in doing so, they give those kings the power of destruction.
“Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light” premieres March 23 on PBS Masterpiece with new episodes dropping weekly on Sundays.
